For the last three years I've only dreamed of owning a S2000. I am obsessed with the car. It is a car I hope to own very soon and hold on to for many years (forever). This is "the" car for me. Here is the question.

Would I be better off buying a y2k s2k (white or silver) for $25 k this spring, or would my money be better spent on buying a new 2002 which means I'd probably need to wait another year?

 

Why would you wait a year for the 2002..they are already out!

 

<----Points the Sebring silver/red parked outside... Yep I'd say the 02's are def. out

 

Guess it would be a 2003

 

Hondafan:

If I'm reading you right you're saying you can't afford a new one for another year?

 

If you're in the market for a used car, I suggest you wait until the 03's come out and then look for a low mileage '02.

However, I'm not sure I'd ever buy one of these used! Some owners tend to ride them hard and put them up wet! It can be hard know what you're getting.

 

Well I think 2nd hand can make a lot of sense, if you can find a low mileage one, that looks cared for. Let the first owner take the big hit in depreciation!

For example I paid

 

I've seen several y2k s2k's with less than 8000 miles on the car for $26k. If I put $14k down it makes a pretty easy car payment on a low milage car. I'd probably look for a very responsible private owner that used the car as a 3rd or 4th car, and was garaged most of the time.

 

Tough call Hondafan, good luck!

I've been saving for about 6 years so I could have enough down payment where I could still afford life and could still have money for a house down payment. I was at the buying point a few months ago when the 2002s were just starting to come, the 2001s were still sitting in the dealerships and some 2000s were coming off lease - too many choices. I boiled it down to this one night with my favorite single malt scotch - and this is for me, may not be right for you - wait for the 2002.

I too plan to have the car for a very long time. Based upon that I looked at the changes for 2002 and decided they were worth it (glass rear window, better clutch and tranny). I decided against a used one because I wanted to be the one to break in the engine - properly. Not someone who VTECs with 50 miles on the odometer or someone who tries to VTEC when the engine is cold and can't understand why there is no engagement.

Follow YOUR gut. If you get a 2002 new then go for the extended warranty! If you decide to buy now and get a used one, the extended warranty should NOT be an option, get it.

 

TripleH:

Sounds like you use a similar decision making process to me, except in my case it's usually Brandy. The trouble is, in the morning there's usually an empty bottle and I can't remember what I decided!